I've been a beer lover for as long as I can remember. I have little formal training (I have taken a beer appreciation course), and I do not possess a "sophisticated palate". I simply know what I like and why. My tastes range from lagers to porters and everything in between. This blog is a collection of reviews, as well as a platform for my thoughts on all things beer. Cheers!

Thursday, 15 January 2015

Lake Effect IPA

Lake Effect IPA is the latest in a string of hoppy offerings from Toronto's Great Lakes Brewery, a veritable IPA-brewing machine. Like many others that I have reviewed, Lake Effect is part of GLB's Tank Ten Series. It comes in a 650mL bottle that sports an unfortunate fisherman about to get doused by a wave. It contains a weighty 7% alcohol and an even heartier 80 IBUs.

Lake Effect has a jumbo grapefruit aroma--both tart and sweet, with the promise of a chunk of bitterness. In terms of flavour, this stuff doesn't taste nearly as assertive as it smells. There are a good measure of hop-forward citrus notes, which really got me grinning. However, the back end suffers from a bit of "too sweet-itis", and as a result, I was reminded of the 7% alcohol content in a very real way.

Hop lovers, particularly those bending their elbows in Ontario, already know that GLB delivers the goods with regularity. While this isn't their finest IPA offering, it's still a delicious ale, and one well worth your time.